By Ben Wigley
October 2 2003

After our first 4 games of the season all is well despite a record of 1 win and 3 losses

We still hope this will be our best season yet  - which is by no means wishful thinking!  We have progressed enormously both on the pitch and  off the pitch by comparison to even last year’s success story. Yet it would be  easy to believe that maybe all was not well since our results to date have been disappointing. Our first two league games against Mill Hill and, last weekend, HAC were lost by 5 points and 10 points along with many a missed opportunity.  However, the players firmly believe that it will be a completely different story when we meet these two sides again. We have been fortunate enough in recruiting some really good talent this season despite the odd player moving away, and it’s just a matter of time until we really get it together. Training has been well attended much to the delight of both management and new coaches Steve Melbourne and Hillary Carr.  It's has been hard and fun plus there’s an extra competitive edge added into the equation as the Wanderers side is now playing in a merit table this season, 1st team places are up for grabs, this is healthy.

Last Saturday’s game against HAC was there for the taking but for our own mistakes: missed penalties and poor preparation - including players turning up late, and unacceptably late cry offs which decimated our Wanderers side on the morning of the game.  Drafting in players from the Wanderers into the first team with an hour to kick off also meant players also playing out of position, not to mention the embarrassment in not being able to field a Wanderers side so close to kick off.  This cannot happen again.

Needless to say - although losing this contest and the many injuries within the squad, the positive points were beginning to emerge: the forwards were dominant in both scrums and line outs. On the other hand areas to work on clearly showed up: poor support play along with handling skills and  the half backs suffered with an early injury to Captain Ben Wigley. This meant additional repositioning which completely unbalanced the three quarters who really didn’t gel through out the game. 

It was good to see Matt Cross take to the paddock after a year long injury: he played the full 80 with no adverse effects. Dave Wells earned man of the match with his relentless effort and very aggressive tackling that set an example to the rest of the players. Rupert, the inside centre showed that powerful direct running was the way to split defences and Kwasi Appah seems to be gaining confidence in his ability with lines of support running a flanker and a winger can be proud of, one of which saw him on the shoulder of one of Benn Richard’s surges up the field, and culminated in a well earned try. There is no doubt that the ingredients for an entertaining and successful season are there.

Next week both teams are away, 1st team to Old Millhillians and the Wanderers up to St Nicks Old Boy’s, Ruislip area. We are up to make amends and return with two wins.